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Enjoy the very best of LondonTue, 17 Mar 2015 16:11:19 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Free 2012 Events Outside Central Londonhttp://blog.visitlondon.com/2012/07/free-2012-events-outside-central-london/
http://blog.visitlondon.com/2012/07/free-2012-events-outside-central-london/#commentsWed, 11 Jul 2012 15:00:54 +0000http://blog.visitlondon.com/?p=27668
The Olympic Stadium isn’t in Central London, and neither are all the celebrations for the Games: London’s outer boroughs are also putting on fantastic shows to mark London 2012. Here’s just a taste of what’s happening.

RichmondRichmond has a plethora of London 2012 events thanks to the Mayor of London’s Showtime festival, which is visiting Richmond Riverside on its tour. Visit the outdoor arts festival on 22 July to catch acts including kids performers Plunge Boom, who could invite audiences to pet vegetables in Victorian prams for their act the Vegetable Nannies. Choreographer Rosie Whitney-Fish will be offering dance workshops from 4-5 August for the Dear Lido project (also part of Showtime) at the borough’s Diamond Jubilee Gardens. If you want a rest after the exercise, there will also be vintage tea parties.

HounslowThe Olympic torch relay will reach Brentford at 11.40am on 24 July, which calls for a gold-themed celebration. Stilt-walking dragons, jugglers and living statues will turn Brentford Market Place into a carnival. Sit on some hay bales around the main stage for the final two-hour programme of live music including jazz, pop and reggae.

BarnetVictoria Park is the setting for the Labyrinth Youth Festival on 28 July – once again thanks to the Mayor’s Showtime festival. One stage will be dedicated to local performers and another will have an open mic session and DJs for young people with learning disabilities. You’ll bump into other acts all over Victoria Park, including the fabulous paper hats of Chapeau Magique and the RASPO Steel Orchestra, one of the UK’s leading steel drum ensembles.

RedbridgeRedbridge is not being put off by the fact that the Olympic Torch relay arrives in the borough at 7.19am on 22 July. It’s celebrations for the arrival of the torch are particularly impressive, including a dawn chorus, breakfast barbeques, a mass Tai Chi display and early morning sports, should you be so inclined. It is also celebrating the arrival of the Paralympic torch on the evening of 29 August with sports and arts activities in a Paralympics Extravaganza Festival in Ilford Town Centre from 2pm that day.

Will you be celebrating the Games away from the centre of London? Let us know how below.